When Will We Rest
by Grace aka xAsiax
Summary: "Ever wonder why there are such things as prophecies? To answer this question, prophecies are supposed to correct the PTB's mistakes. To right their wrong and to restore the balance. Now the real question is, what mistake did they make now?"
1. Prologue

**Disclaimer: I don't own anything. Buffy and Co. belongs to Joss Whedon and ME and WB and whatever Evil Organization they belong too. And if they need another writer, just point me to the dotted line and I'll sign in blood …**

A/N: Please Review. I need to know if this is received well because, if no one likes it, what's the point in writing/finishing it?

Prologue

"I'm dying."

Varying degrees of shock fell on the faces around her. Buffy understood all of it. She had felt them herself the moment she received the news. 

She had cancer. 

Not the kind her mother had. It isn't a brain tumor. It wasn't something at all 'normal' related, if getting cancer was normal. No, nothing normal ever happened to her, Buffy thought darkly. This cancer, the malignant disease growing in her uterus and in her stomach, spreading in a spectacular rate was due to her Slayer-ness. Tissues were growing and developing much too fast and caused one measly mutated cell to divide and invade her system with the help of her slayer powers. It was the biggest irony she could possibly think of. Her greatest strength became her ultimate downfall. 

"How … you can't leave … Buffy, we just finally got the O.S.G. started, you can't leave. You're the Slayer! We need you." 

Buffy watched Willow. The strongest Witch ever recorded in history. Her greatest ally, her bestest friend in the World. 

The one that brought her Hell. 

Buffy couldn't help but notice that the thought of her best friend's actions no longer brought the anger and confusion it did in the past. It only brought a light wistfulness, and on occasion, when life was particularly lovely and the faintest fragrance of flowers was vivid red in her mind, Buffy felt gratitude at the second – or was it third? – Chance. 

Upon the thought of death, Buffy couldn't help but think of the one that saved her world, over and over, and then saved the World …

Shaking her head, Buffy went back into the present. She'll have plenty of time reminiscing when she became bed ridden, when she goes back to the other side.

"It's cancer, Will. That … that molecular sunburn from my resurrection. I did come back wrong. My immune system has been working on overdrive since I've come back and now … I'm done. The cancer is using my slayer powers now. It's growing." Buffy paused for a second. She didn't know how to say the last bit. She looked around at the crestfallen faces. 

Willow, Giles, and Xander - the Inner Core.

Dawn and Faith, her sisters through thick and thin.

Even Andrew and Robin, one of the last warriors of a time past. 

"I've been consulting the Coven in Michigan and they sensed my aura and my life line. I only have a few weeks now. Enough time to get the girls rounded up and – "

"But Buffy, maybe… maybe we could … do something … Magic! I can –"Willow looked at her, a spark of hope lighting the behind the smart eyes. Always trying to find the solution, solve the problem. Buffy looked back kindly. A small smile of something akin to defeat shadowed her face.

"Willow. We're going against my Slayer Powers. Remember Mom, Wills? If we couldn't do anything to help her,  how are you going to help me? It's not your fault, Will. The Powers just have it in for me. I think it had somethin' to do with the dressing down I gave 'em a few months back when they wouldn't give me the ability to drive. Yea. I think that was it." Buffy tried to lighten the mood. A little voice in her mind taunted back at her, _Tough Crowd, eh?_

On her peripheral, Buffy could see the tense shoulders of her sister's. Dawn had the shock look in her eyes. Giles didn't even bother to clean his glasses. He merely took them off and held them entwined in his fingers as he held his head in his hands. His shoulders visibly went up and down. He was breathing hard. 

Xander had fallen noisily back against a couple of cabinets. His face still had disbelief written all over it. Buffy had a spiteful feeling come over her, the thought that he was still swimming in the Nile in the past three years came particularly into mind. 

Andrew, Robin, and Faith merely looked on. Andrew looked sad but, even if he had some character development over the years, he still had a running monologue in his mind. Buffy inwardly smiled. Andrew would always be the quirky one. Faith and Robin had stuck together after The Fight and made each other stronger. It was a partnership Buffy always wanted and was glad (and a little envious – always will have that sibling rivalry with Faith, Buffy thought) Faith had it after so many tough breaks. 

Buffy blinked an image of a bleached head and cerulean blue eyes away from her thoughts. It was the partnership she could have had and had realized it only at the last possible moment.

"This isn't fair, Buffy! You can't leave me again… it wasn't supposed to be like this ..." Dawn exploded with her emotions and after the initial burst; she started to shake and cry hysterically. 

Buffy's own tears of self-pity and righteousness tried to rise again but she already had that session earlier that week and Dawn's welfare was at stake. Taking a reign on her emotions, Buffy took Dawn's waving and vibrating arms and held them between themselves.

"Dawn, I love you. Xander loves you. We all love you. I will always love you and I will _always_ be with you. My time is just up again and this time I think it's for good. Slayers –Pre-Willow-Giving-All-Power-To-Potentials – live short. We don't get to profit from our Social Security. Faith and the others might change that but I guess its not changing for me. I'm trying not to be mean but deal with this Dawn. You're an adult and smart. You never needed me but you will always have me. You are apart of me." Buffy took her sister's taller frame and gave her an almost bone-crushing hug. "Breath Sis, everything will be alright."

Dawn shivered and hiccupped in Buffy's arms. A tear fell from Buffy's eye but no more. She had no time to cry. She had to gather the O.S.G. together and organize teams. She had to revise their mission statement, create a set of rules when she was gone. Make a plan. Execute the plan.

But before I do all that, Buffy thought, Dawn needs Big Sis. Just wait a few more seconds then its slayer mode. 

With that resolution in mind, Buffy stroked her sister's back comfortingly, knowing that such leisure was precious and finite.

-----

_Two Months and Four Days Later_

            The weather was chilly and the sky slowly wept in their sadness as the beacon of all that was good and right returned to the ground for the second time. 

            The many that arrived were people that were touched by the life of Buffy Summers in varying degrees. The majority were the Potentials-turned-Slayers of a different time, the first of a generation of Warriors. The other Slayers that were called in the exodus were also present. All being educated at the nature of Slayers and have had the privilege to be taught by the one that started it all. Others that came that didn't belong in either group were various friends, respective (and some not so respective) colleagues of demon hunters, and the people of the former-Initiative.  

            All came in somber black and stood respectively as the casket slowly lowered below the Earth. No more tears shed. All already had been spent. Today, however, was reserved for the silent and reverend acknowledgement of a legend, The One. 

_Elizabeth Ann Summers_

_Beloved Sister, Friend, and Hero_

_The Slayer_

_ The One_

_Rest in Peace_

[insert Birth and death]

A/N: Death happens 5 years after the Fight. Dawn is a freshman in College

Someone want to give me the dates for this? I don't remember them ….

* * *


	2. Chapter One They Danced

Disclaimer: Don't own nuthin' 

Chapter One

They Always Danced

The **O**riginal **Scooby ****Gang sat around the table. Coffee and tea untouched. **

"At least she knew where she was going, you know." Xander broke the silence. 

It was the only relief they could find in the loss of their friend. It was the only comfort they could find in the tragedy. It was what kept them together this second time. 

Dawn hid her face into her lover's neck. After years of helping out the gang, Dawn found her own Oasis in the pirate-eyed Scooby. His comforting embrace kept her from acting out in all her nineteen-year-old splendor of a temper and crying fest. 

The rest of the Scoobies were not in any better a shape. The loss had hit them hard. 

Willow looked out of a window in the mansion. It was funny that, after the home of the Summer's was decimated and nothing at all was left from their past but a few clothes and photos, the Council's money was suddenly dumped on them. 

It was supposed to be left to any council members still alive. Rupert Giles, with his job reimbursed a couple of years back, was the sole inheritor of the unlimited amount of money and power held by the council. It was the greatest irony, at the time, and made everyone laugh hysterically then into tears. And so, the Scooby Gang, now known as the O.S.G., started all over. From scratch. With the Council's money. 

A little of it went back the Buffy and into their current HQ and home, of course. And it resulted in a mansion that put Angel's Investigation to shame. It was basically a Florida estate. It was sunny enough to be comfortable to any Californian but far enough from Sunnydale and still be in the country. 

As Willow thought of all that had passed, she couldn't help but think of what they all lost. 

[Flashback – A week earlier]

_Do you miss her still, Will?_

Willow looked down at Buffy. Sunken eyes and turban wrapped bald -head faced her. The girl that had the strength of ten, maybe even twenty, men brought down by a human disease asked. 

_Yes, Buffy, I do. It gets easier but, when I think about what we used to do together, when I go to the video store and pick up a video we laughed about, or when I look at a spell we learned together, it all comes back fresh, you know? Yea. I miss __Tara__._

_Oh __Willow__, you were so lucky. _

Buffy's eyes, to Willow, had a medicated sheen to it_. _

_I wish I had something to remember like that. Something sweet. When I think about what I had with Spike, I can only remember the things I did to him. I have so much to regret. Oh god, __Willow__. The things I did to him, the things I told him. _

_That was before, Buffy … _

_…If there was a monster between us, it was me. Or maybe it was the both of us that were monsters and I just didn't have a mask._

_            The only thing I remember, that was sweet, was when we slept together, before the fight. We just held each other. He gave me his strength. His human soul and his demon's. _

_             It was Death holding me but with its sweetest cold …the comforting cold …and I didn't want to die, Will. I just wanted to dance with Death … we were always dancing …I loved him so at the end … the end…I wish…_

Willow watched with a dark fascination and astonishment as Buffy drifted off to a medicated sleep. Willow never knew how it was like, between the two until that moment.

A slight creak behind her caused a break in Willow's thoughts. Turning around she spied Xander and Dawn. 

_Did you hear? _

Xander held a stance and look of defeated acceptance of a fight from long ago. He nodded. 

Dawn stared at her sister. So weak and small on the big bed, Buffy's state threatened the tears in her eyes to fall. Breathing deeply, Dawn looked at the ceiling, trying to stall her outpour to a more appropriate place. Some bathroom or other. 

Finding the strength to look again and holding tight to Xander's hand, she replied to Willow's question with a statement. 

Dawn, after hearing the full account of what had happened the year of her sister's return, had forgiven Spike. It wasn't something one could compensate and easily brush off. It was a serious offense but it was obvious that both parties had hurt each other badly. 

But there was one thing that had remained constant in the destructive relationship. Dawn whispered it. It was the mantra, the words that said it all. 

_They always Danced, Willow._

_ It was all they ever did. _

And Willow would have given anything within her power and beyond, to see her friend dance once more, her dance with Death. 

With that thought, Willow sealed her fate as well as others in fixing the balance.

With that thought, the Powers that Be sent their emissary.

And Whistler stood in the doorway of the room, the weight of a million worlds sitting upon his shoulders.

Author's Note:

Okay, Look. This is my first EVER Buffy story and it's VERY VERY elaborate. I'm going to need a co-Author and anyone at all willing to Beta for me [or us]. So, if you are interested, email me with the link to your work and talk (IM or whatever) later. If you don't have any work posted (It doesn't have to be Buffy related. It can be some original prose or something) just IM me at yahoo messenger or msn or AIM. 

ID: hisdarkchilde@yahoo.com

MSN: jaded010386@hotmail.com

AIM: flipinagrace

Email or IM me if you want to beta/Co-Author with me. I can have more than one co authors. We just need to correspond or what not. I'll email those that I find interesting with my notes and the road I want to take the story. I hope you like the first parts. It will get happy but … we need some bumpy roads and cliffs to make this experience worthwhile. And it will, damn it.

-Asia 

P.S. The story will begin to unfold on the next two chapters. They're almost done, just needs tweaking.


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